The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-04
Changes in the Eternal City.

CndnR6S Ill Cne ETERNAL ClCy.
The government is tearing down old
landmarks, writes Rome correspond
ent of The Louisville Courier-Journal,
yes, and the streets they are cutting
are broad and healthy, and with side
walks. and say this last with all thank
fulness; for OH this side of the water
you have to pay fine if you get run
over. Rows of new houses are going
up in every direction, and Rome is clean
that is to say, MS clean as Paris. But
running Rome!" is still the cry. Well,
maybe, as a picture; but financially
they are making Rome; and who can
blame people for trying to progress9
An Indian village may be picturesque,
and feathers, aud blankets, and war
paint what the travelling stranger may
wish to see when he comes to America
after reading Mr.. Cooper; but it could
scarcely be expected that New York or
Boston should continue in this print
tive state. And, indeed, as to running
Rome one must designate which Rome
is meant. and define what they mean
by "ruin.' For instance. Urban VIII.
took away the gilt-bronze ceiling of the
portco of the Pantheon to ornament
St Peters; and Benedict XIV. took
away all the marble from the outside.
Paul III, plupdered the Coliseum and
theater of Marccllus to build the Far
nese palace. Alexander VII. had the
triumphal march of Marcus Aure!us
torn down i'm order to widen
the Corso; the reliefs are in the
capitol the columns are in the church
of st. Agnese. The palace of the Can
cellera, begun by one cardinal and fin
ished by another, was built of blocks
of travertine from the Coliseum; the
granite pillars were from the thcater of
Pompey. Palazzo Vcnezio was built
from the Coliseum for Paul III. The
arch of Constantine was plundered by
Clement VIII. The seven grand col
umns of the temple of Pallas Minerva
were destroyed by Paul ", part of
them being used to build the Fontana
Paolina. The Barberini palace was
built from the Coliseum by Urban
VIII. These are only a few instances,
yet think they will serve to show that
Rome was ruined before the present
government touched it, ''But that was
only pagan Rome" they say. Pagan
Rome? To n traveller from the most
modern of all countrics-a pilgrim
from the latest born of all the nations
clean, brisk, bright. well-fed, we'll
balanced Amortization so she seems,
looking back to her from the midst of
these blood. stained old countries, rusty
with iniquity to such one Rome seems
pagan still. On the Capitoline they
worship now Il painted wooden doll
the sacred Bambno This idol is kept
in the Church of Santa Maria in Ara
CGli, on one side of the Campidogl!o;
the lean, old bronze wolf is kept in the
hall of the CONSERVATORY. on the other
side the Campidoglio; where is the
wide difference? They say, I'VE do
not worship the Bambino," and yet to
see that crowd fall down when that
wooden doll is ra sed aloft-some kiss
ed the floor, and the floor was very
dirty-that surely seemed like worship.
"But only the.ignorant." they explain.
Very true. only 1.-THE poor and the ig-
norant" worship. Standing in the
grand Basiica of Santa Maria Maggiorc
on Christmas day, one realizes this very
wildly.